Richard Bocklage
Real Name: Richard Gerard Bocklage Aliases: Dick Bocklege, Dick Boch Wanted For: Murder Missing Since: September 1980 Richard bocklage2 tanya kopric.jpg|Tanya Kopric IMG-a62fd52d356e720a07474d47a9998551-V.jpg|Tanya's Gravesite Case Details: Richard Bocklage is a pharmacy student wanted for the murder of his ex-fiance, Dr. Tatjana "Tanya" Kopric in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 18, 1980. Bocklage was ten years younger than Tanya and had grown up in St. Louis. He studied pharmacy at the University of Missouri. Tanya was from Yugoslavia and had immigrated to the United States in 1975. The two had started dating in March 1980; a few weeks later, he moved into her apartment. Six months later, they were engaged. However, her friends did not like him and felt that he was just using her for money. Bocklage began spending more time with Tanya and less time in class. Midway through his sophomore year, he fell behind in his studies. At certain points, he became close to dropping out of school. On July 19, 1980, he was notified by administrators that he was academically ineligible. He demanded that Tanya use her connections in the admissions department to get himself re-enrolled. However, she refused to help him. Soon, he began to exhibit wild mood swings. Three weeks later, on September 2, she broke off the engagement and kicked him out. Two weeks later, he returned to class and acted as if nothing had changed. His professor contacted an administrator who spoke with Bocklage. He argued with the administrator and then angrily left. He later wrote to the admissions office, begging the officials to re-consider his case. At 3 pm on September 18, the admissions committee met to determine his fate at the college. They all agreed that he should not be re-admitted to the school. Hoping to avoid a confrontation, the committee quickly dispersed. At 3:45 pm, two professors spotted Bocklage driving towards the dean's office. They immediately headed in the opposite direction. He roamed the hallways, searching for the dean of admissions. He carried a manila envelope; some believe that it contained a handgun. Three hours later, Tanya returned to her apartment. As she exited her car, Bocklage appeared and shot her three times in the head with a .45 automatic pistol. A witness identified him as the shooter. Investigators learned that he had purchased the weapon just weeks prior to the murder. Six days later, his car was found abandoned in Thompson, Manitoba, Canada six days after the murder - 900 miles away. He was seen by two local residents. However, investigators believe that he has since returned to the United States. Two months after the murder, Tanya's parents received a letter from Bocklage, postmarked two days before the murder. In the letter, he stated that Tanya had been executed and that her death was necessary and "inevitable". Bocklage has never been found. He is 6'0" tall and weighs 175 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes, and vertical scars under each armpit. Today, he would be sixty-one-years-old; his date of birth is July 12, 1957. Extra Notes: This case first aired on the April 3, 1991 episode. America’s Most Wanted also profiled this case in 2001. Results: Wanted Links: * Richard Bocklage on Unsolved.com * Suspect is sought in fatal shooting * Websleuths Discussion of Richard Bocklage (includes articles) * AMW Discussion on Richard Bocklage * SitcomsOnline Discussion on Richard Bocklage (includes articles) ---- Category:Missouri Category:1980 Category:Murder Category:School-Related Cases Category:AMW Cases Category:Wanted